Fuel cell arrangements are used to produce electrical energy by a chemical reaction and can be implemented, for example, in the form of a block which has a host of individual modules stacked on top of one another and in which the chemical reaction proceeds in each module. The reaction partners are often supplied to the fuel cell in a gaseous state, for example in the form of hydrogen and oxygen or air, and so reliable sealing of the fuel cell arrangement is necessary.
One example of a seal for fuel cells is described in German Offenlegungsschrift No. DE 100 28 395 A1. This document discloses a seal having a carrier body with elastomer material located on it. The elastomer material is applied to the support body in the form of a liquid rubber vulcanizate and is then cross-linked or vulcanized.
European Patent Publication No. EP 1 032 065 A2 discloses a seal arrangement especially for bipolar plates with interposed ion exchange-membrane units in fuel cells. In this seal arrangement, the seal elements of polymer material are injected into recesses of the bipolar plates and, with the pertinent bipolar plate, form an integral unit. The seal elements do not completely fill the recesses. Instead, empty spaces or gaps remain between the side walls of the seal elements and the adjacent walls of the recesses. This ensures that the seal elements can give when compressed. Moreover the seal elements project out of the recesses, i.e. the height of the seal elements is greater than the depth of the recesses.